Tool for actuating pressurizing pump of fuel tank

ABSTRACT

A HAND-HELD TOOL HAVING AN L-SHAPED HANDLE SUPPORTING A RECIPROCABLE FORK FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BASE OF A KNOB ON A PLUNGER ROD EMPLOYED FOR PRESSURIZING A FUEL TANK TO GRASP THE KNOB BETWEEN THE FORK AND A SEAL MEANS ON THE END OF THE HANDLE WHICH SEALS A VENT OPENING IN   THE KNOB TO ENABLE PRESSURIZATION OF THE TANK BY MANUAL RECIPROCATION OF THE TOOL AND ROD.

a h 3, 1971 R. L. COMPTON ETOOL FOR ACTUATING PRESSURIZING PUMP FUELTANK Filed March 12, 1969 INVENTOR RICHARD L.COMPTON BY masm UnitedStates Patent Oflice 31,572,185 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 3,572,185 TOOLFOR ACTUATING PRESSURIZING PUMP F FUEL TANK Richard L. Compton, 2025 N.Fremont, Springfield, Mo. 65803 Filed Mar. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 806,518Int. Cl. B251 11/00 US. Cl. 81-3 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Ahand-held tool having an L-shaped handle supporting a reciprocable forkfor engagement with the base of a knob on a plunger rod employed forpressurizing a fuel tank to grasp the knob between the fork and a sealmeans on the end of the handle which seals a vent opening in the knob toenable pressurization of the tank by manual reciprocation of the tooland rod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to thefield of hand-held tools and is more specifically directed to ahand-held tool for engaging the plunger pump associated with fuel tanksof the type normally employing liquid fuel. The invention enables a muchmore easy, less tiring and convenient reciprocation of the plunger topressurize such fuel tanks.

Many heating devices employ fuel tanks containing fuel such as whitegasoline for use with burners associated with such devices. Such fueltanks must be pressurized with atmospheric air in order to force thefuel through the burners for combustion. Devices of this sort come in awide variety of forms such as portable lanterns, camp stoves, blowtorches and numerous other variations.

Pressurization of the fuel tanks of such devices is accomplished by areciprocable plunger rod of a pump which is mounted in the fuel tankwall and is reciprocated to force atmospheric air into the interior ofthe tank. The outer end of the plunger rod is provided with a knob and avent extends through the plunger rod and through the knob in a coaxialmanner to connect the interior of the tank with the atmosphere by meansof a vent opening on the outer end of the knob. The user of devices ofthis sort grasps the inside of the knob with his index finger and middlefinger with the plunger rod located between these fingers and the outerend surface of the knob engaging his thumb so as to clamp the knobbetween the two fingers and the thumb. Moreover, it is necessary duringthe pumping reciprocation of the plunger rod to maintain the thumb in asealing engagement over the vent opening in the knob so as to retainpressure within the fuel tank. Since the pressurization operationrequires a fairly large force and takes considerable time, the hand,fingers and thumb of the user become quite tired and fatigued. Theamount of physical effort necessary for pres surizing such fuel tanks isso tiring and fatiguing as to prevent persons not endowed with a greatdeal of strength such as children and women from successfullypressurizing such tanks. This problem has become all the more criticalin recent times by virtue of the widespread usage of such tanks in campstoves, lanterns and the like employed by all types of persons oncamping expeditions.

While it would be impossible to employ larger knobs on the plunger rodof pumps of this sort, such would obviously increase the size and weightof devices of this sort so as to consequently detrimentally affect theirportability. Therefore, there has been a great need for means whichwould easily enable pressurization of the fuel tanks of devices of thissort which has remained unmet up until this time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is the primary object of thisinvention to provide a new and improved tool for enabling the user ofdevices employing pressurizable fuel tanks to easily pressurize suchtanks.

Obtainment of the object of this invention is enabled by the provisionof an elongated L-shaped handle member which is grasped by the hand ofthe user. A sealing cup is attached to one end of the handle member anda fork shaped bifurcated clamp is mounted for reciprocation on one endof the handle member. The bifurcated clamp is moved by manual engagementof a trigger type member with one or more fingers of the user. The forkshaped clamp is in alignment with the sealing member and can be movedtoward the sealing member by the user so as to clamp the knob of theplunger rod between the fork and the sealing means. The tool can then bereciprocated so as to pressurize the tank with great ease and cansubsequently be rotated to enable retention of the knob and plunger infixed sealing position in the tank with little or no manual effort onthe part of the user. Moreover, the tool enables the user to grasp sameby use of the entire hand so there is practically no finger or thumbfatigue as occurrs during pressurization of such tanks without the useof the inventive tool.

Consequently, this invention provides a uniquely easy to use,inexpensive, yet totally eflicient device which can be used by anyone onany number of heating devices requiring pressurization of the fuel tank.For example, the same tool could be used for pressurizing the fuel tanksof both a camp stove and a lantern such as would normally be used by acamper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustratingthe manner of usage of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a bisecting sectional view along lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Attention is initially invitedto FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates the preferred embodiment 10of the instant invention being held in the hand 12 of a user forpressurizing the fuel tank 14 of a lantern 16. It should be understoodthat the instant invention is not limited to use with lanterns but isequally effective for pressurizing the fuel tanks of other devices suchas stoves and the like which employ a reciprocable plunger rod 18 which,when reciprocated, serves to pressurize the tank.

Plunger rods of this type are characterized by an outer knob 20 having avent opening 22 communicating with an axial vent 24 extending throughthe knob and rod. In use, the user normally places his index and middlefingers on the side of the knob in'wardly toward the fuel tank with therod 18 extending therebetween while simul taneously placing his thumbover the vent opening 22 for sealing the tank. It is necessary that thevent opening 22 be closed during the pumping operation of the rod 18.Otherwise, pressure within the tank would easily escape and it would beimpossible to pressurize the tank. Unfortunately, the amount of effortnecessary for pressurizing such tanks and the time required for such issufficiently great to cause the users hand to become tired during thepressurization of the tank 14. Moreover, upon completion of thepressurization, it is necessary that the knob 20 and rod 18 be rotatedto a locked position in order to retain pressure within the tank. Thisrotation must be accomplished while retaining the thumb in sealingoverlapped relationship with respect to the vent opening 22 and requiresconsiderable eifort on the part of the user.

The instant invention completely eliminates the necessity for manuallygrasping the knob 20 and is in the form of a tool that simultaneouslygrasps the knob and also seals the vent opening 22. Tool 10 comprises anelongated handle means generally designated 26 and having a sealingmeans in the form of a pliable rubber cup 28 on one end. Handle means 26is L-shaped and comprises a guide arm portion 30 and a grip arm portion32 which are oriented in substantially perpendicular arrangement withrespect to each other.

A reciprocable actuator means generally designated 34 is fixed to atubular guide member 36 which is mounted on the guide arm portion 30 forreciprocation thereon in an obvious manner as best illustrated in FIG. 3of the drawings. Actuator member 34 has a manually engageable means inthe form of a trigger plate 38 on one end which is engageable by one ormore of the fingers of the user for reciprocating the actuator member inan obvious manner. The other end of the actuator member 34 comprisesclamping means in the form of a bifurcated fork member 40 formed of legs42 and 44 between which is located a slot 46 as shown in FIG. 4. Slot 46is of such a width as to easily receive rod 18 in the manner shown inFIG. 3.

In use, the bifurcated fork is slipped over rod 18 and the actuatormember 34 reciprocated by the index finger of the user so that the ventopening 22 is sealed by the sealing member 28 as shown in FIG. 3. Thedevice is then reciprocated by the user to pressurize the fuel tank 14.Such reciprocation is easily accomplished and the hand of the user doesnot become exhausted or tired as would occur without usage of the tool.Moreover, upon completion of the pressurization, it is a simple matterto rotate the tool and the knob 20 clamped therebetween to the sealingposition so that the tool can then be removed without any loss ofpressure from the vent opening 22.

Numerous variations will occur to those skilled in the art and it shouldbe understood that the invention forming the subject matter of thisapplication should be limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hand-held tool for use with a reciprocating plunger pump of thetype employed for pressurizing fuel tanks and having a reciprocableplunger rod with a manually engageable knob means on its outer end and acoaxial vent extending through the rod and the knob to a vent opening onthe outer end of the knob, said rod being manually reciprocable forpressurizing the container and being rotatable for sealing thecontainer, said tool comprising an elongated handle means, a sealingmeans on one end of said handle means for sealingly engaging said ventopening, guide means mounting a reciprocable actuator member forreciprocation on said handle means, clamp means on one end of saidactuator member in alignment with said sealing means and manuallyengageable means on the other end of said actuator means forreciprocating said actuator means on said lever to forcefully grasp saidknob between said clamp and said sealing means to seal said vent openingfrom the atmosphere so that subsequent axial reciproation of said toolserves to reciprocate said plunger rod to consequently pressurize saidtank.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said clamp means comprises abifurcated fork member having a slot formed by two spaced arms whichengage the base of said knob when said plunger rod is received in saidslot.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said elongated handle means isL-shaped and includes a guide arm mounting said reciprocable actuatormember and a grip arm which is gripped by the hand of the user.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said guide means comprises a tubularguide member coaxially received over said guide arm.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said manually engageable meanscomprises a trigger plate engageable by one or more fingers of the userand extending in a direction radially with respect to said guide tube.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said L-shaped handle means is ofcylindrical metallic rod construction.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said sealing means is a pliable cupreceived over the end of said guide arms.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said actuator member. said triggerand said bifurcated fork are formed of a unitary piece of metal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,030,889 4/1962 Parker 254-93XOTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner

